Best Cabin Camping near Lake Leelanau, MI

Campground Review:

Nestled in a private spot on the Leelanau Peninsula on the 45th north parallel and just a couple miles from Lake Leelanau (west) and Suttons Bay (east) beach, marina, and village is this quiet RV and tent campground.

While trees line the perimeter and are speckled throughout the campground, all of the RV sites are completely open to the sun, making it an RV parking lot with grass. Each RV site comes with water and electrical hook-ups and many with sewer hook-ups as well. While most RV campgrounds have centralized bathrooms with flush toilets, sinks, and showers, this one is lacking those amenities.

The tent camping area has 10 sites, is nestled in the trees, with a picnic table and fire ring at each site. In addition, there are 2 rustic cabins and 1 yurt nestled among the tent sites for those who aren’t interested in roughing it as much. There is a one pit toilet, a unique “tent shower,” and a central fresh water spigot for campers and those staying in the cabins.

There are 2 man-made ponds in the middle of the RV section of the campground, which sadly act more as mosquito breeding grounds than they do for water activities as they are quite small. There is also a new driving range above the campground for the golfers in the group.

The best part of this campground is its location. It is just a couple miles from either Suttons Bay and Lake Leelanau, and within walking/biking distance of 2 local wineries (Forty-Five North and Aurora), nice restaurants, and great backroads that are off the beaten path and away from nearly all traffic. The Forty-Five North Vineyard and Winery has a great walking/mountain biking trail in addition to a nice selection of very accessible wines, a great atmosphere, and super friendly staff! Hang out on their porch or play cornhole and bocce ball while you enjoy a glass of wine and a cheese plate.

Product Review: As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I was able to test the Rapid & Backwoods sunglasses by Optic Nerve. After a day of cycling and wine tasting, we took our sea kayaks out to Suttons Bay and spent the day kayaking around the bay.

What I like most about these glasses:

· Lightweight (poly carbonate materials) but seem very durable.

· Great price for high quality glasses. I usually buy cheap glasses because I tend to lose them or break them, but these are well-worth the extra $10-15 for quality glasses.

· Polarized lenses with 100% UVA/UVB protection. Perfect for water sports such as sea kayaking, sailing, etc.

· Different shapes/lines work well for various sports or simply for everyday. I chose the Rapid sunglasses for use on the water and the Backwoods style for cycling/running.

· Lifetime warranty!

Some of the things I wish these glasses had:

· It would be great if these came with a protective case with the Optic Nerve logo.

Product Link:

https://www.opticnerve.com/collections/mens/products/rapid

https://www.opticnerve.com/collections/mens/products/backwoods

Product Video:

https://youtu.be/2FKJU4reiXs

If you have a big Class A RV and need a full hook up and a pool, this place will work. We paid $165 a night and were surprised that it was just a gated community for RVs with a pool. Lots of the amenities were broken or not available (hot tub jets broken, no hot water for showers, movie room broken). Some of these may be due to covid or just like of upkeep. Our site had a nice paved pad, but it wasn’t level and the concrete was painted so we were slipping off the levelers. The coach house had very limited hot water. Gas fireplace and grill was provided. The vibe of this place was gated community and not camping- wry little trees in property. A fine location to access the Petosky are. Overall we found it overpriced and boring. We thought it would be luxury for the price, and it was “meh.”

The first time I camped here was in the 1970's. It is beautiful, peaceful campground on Lake Leelanau which is located on the Leelanau peninsula in between West Traverse Bay and Lake Michigan in close proximity to the little town of Lake Leelanau, Suttons Bay, Leland and many Michigan wineries. Also not far from Glen Arbor and Sleeping Bear Dunes.

This is one of my favorite campgrounds in Michigan.

Campground Review: Leelanau State Park is a gorgeous campground on the very tip of the Leelanau Peninsula which is surrounded on 3 sides by the crystal clear waters and sandy beaches of Lake Michigan. Though only 15 minutes outside of the village of Northport, it feels very remote. The wooded campsites are relatively spacious, some with a great amount of privacy, others very open and right on the water. All have firepits and picnic tables, but we were not able to find water spigots near the sites on the lower level, those closest to the lake. They can accommodate everything from small tents to large campers and even have a couple of small camping cabins for rent. There are pit toilets scattered throughout the campground (which are rather stinky compared to other campgrounds we’ve stayed in, but this seems to be how all Michigan State Park pit toilets smell), and no showers. Showers are available for $2 at Traverse City State Park, which is about an hour south of this campground. TC is the major city on the peninsula and the one you must drive through to leave the peninsula. In addition to opportunities to swim, kayak, sail, paddle board, etc., this park has gorgeous hiking trails located a few miles south on the peninsula, a playground for the kids, a fully restored 19th century lighthouse, and a cool museum dedicated to the use of Lake Michigan during WWII. As the fog rolled off the water and in and out of the campground during our visit, we realized the importance of this historic lighthouse for the area surrounding the peninsula.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27J0AgpsbEU

Product Review: As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I was able to test the new Roanline market place at roanline.com. They carry a number of different brands and I selected the United by Blue 25L Rift Backpack to test out while camping at the Leelanau State Park campground in Michigan. We used this pack while hiking on the beautiful trails within this state park. This pack fits in as well on the trail as it will in the boardroom, or commuter train. It has a sleek profile and clean, tight lines which give it all the class of a briefcase while offering the versatility of a backpack. I expect it to last many years of regular use.

What I like most about this pack:

1. Quality construction with a compact, efficient use of space.

2. The specialty pockets hold everything for which they are intended: laptop, smartphone, water bottle / travel mug, etc, while still allowing space for plenty of extra layers, lunch/snacks, etc. It has more volume than it looks like from the outside.

3. It is super comfortable and stays in place even on the bike.

4. The single carrying handle is well-placed, strong, and very comfortable – nice one!

Some things I wish this pack had:

1. A hydration hose “slit. This seems like an oversight, because the main pouch easily holds a large water bladder.

2. A waist-belt, making it more comfortable with the pack weighed down.

3. An integrated rain fly. I am afraid to get this pack dirty – it looks too nice!

Product Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNbzM_-q2EU&t=2s

Product Link: https://journal.roanline.com/2017/01/06/3-pieces-of-gear-to-help-you-weather-winter-in-the-east/

Campground Review: This very popular campground is a few miles from downtown Traverse City, on the edge of Grand Traverse East Bay, Lake Michigan and fills up very quickly during the summer months. It is open year-round though and the fall is gorgeous in Michigan. As a city-based campground, it has many amenities and makes for a great alternative to paying much higher prices for the hotels, motels, and B&B’s in the area. This is a nicely wooded campground, and though the sites are spacious, they are rather close to each other, so not much privacy. But, given that this campground provides direct access to the TART Bike Trail (which can use to get to Traverse City, the Leelanau Wine Trail, or many other points north) and there is a safe, over-the-road walking bridge that takes you to the beach on the bay, we didn’t spend much time IN the campground itself. The various sites accommodate everything from small tents to large RV’s and all come with electricity. There are even two small camping cabins available for rent. The immaculately clean bathrooms and showers are free to campers. Firewood and ice are available onsite by the office. The only major drawbacks are that you can hear the road (which is pretty busy most days) and there are railroad tracks next to the campground (though we never heard a train and were told that it was infrequent).

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loWrZLOItQc

Product Review: As a Ranger for the Dyrt, I get gear to review from time to time. On this excursion, we took the Saris Freedom SuperClamp 2-Bike Rack for a test spin while camping and wine tasting via the Leelanau Bike Path, which is accessible from Traverse City State Park in Traverse City, MI. We were in the market for another bike rack and had researched various racks just before this one arrived. We think this is a pretty good option for the price point.

What I like about this rack:

1. It secures to the vehicle trailer hitch via a threaded bolt rather than a pin; this holds the rack securely and minimizes swaying of the bikes as we go down the road. A locking attachment to this bolt discourages theft of the entire rack.

1. The bikes are held securely by clamping to the wheels and don’t contact the frame. Our previous bike rack was a hanging rack which did some damage to the paint job on our frames --NOT an issue with this rack.
2. The rack is very easy to use, simple to set up, and holds the bikes securely.
3. It comes with a lifetime warranty. When our first rack arrived, one of the plastic wheel cups was cracked, but one quick call to the company and we had a whole new rack within a few days. Nice!

Room for improvement:

1. The integrated locking cables stow away within the frame of the rack, which is cool; but they aren’t long enough to thread through the high-clearance frame of my husband’s mountain bike – so we can only lock down his back wheel not the frame. The cable will accommodate most traditional bike frames, but they aren’t thick enough to really secure the bikes for anything longer than a run into the grocery store anyway, so we’re adding another lock when necessary.
2. The straps which secure the wheels are a little awkward to use, both securing and releasing. You have to use two hands to do this, and reaching the straps for the bike closest to the vehicle is a bit tricky.
3. When the bikes are off the rack and it is folded into its storage configuration, we have no problem opening the tailgate of our truck; but, with both bikes on the rack, getting into the back of the truck is difficult. If you have a hatchback, make sure the bikes are the last thing you load up!

Product Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpgajt1V1Yc

Product Link: https://www.saris.com/product/superclamp-2

If you are looking for a camping getaway, this may not be the place for you. It is always bustling with action, but can be lots of fun! I would definitely say this is geared more towards children and families than an escape into nature. There is a camp store, turbo bikes, a variety of family activities, a pool, playground, bike park, equipment and rentals, laundry facility, cabins, cottages, and yurts for rent. This is also a pet friendly campground, so there are many dogs. Probably one of my favorite parts was dodgeball... and the multiple bike trails that connect to the VASA trail system.

Came up here for my anniversary getaway with my fiancé, booked for two nights and the second day had an emergency come up and had to leave! I let Jamie know and without asking or expecting, she refunded me and wished me luck with our situation. The cabin was cute and cozy, I slept like a baby, definitely going to come here again. Thank you so much Jamie!

Great site for first time campers or when you want to just get away quickly without having to take lots of equipment and supplies. Nice little camp store and pizza restaurant on site. Great playground, evening activities. Nice mix of electric hook up, R.V. and tent sites. Boat rentals, etc. Great place for a group of families to come camp together. Staff at the campground are friendly, knowledgeable and helpful.

Mostly seasonal campers. Has a small lake with fishing. There is an indoor pool & game room. There are activities all the time. Bingo every weekend. Some open sites & some in the trees. I think they are adding a few cabins.

We had a chilly Memorial Day weekend but were very impressed with the campground. Great mix of activities for the kids. Big park but felt small, no problems with traffic and golf carts like we have experienced at other “resort” style campgrounds. All sites are full hookup and there are just enough cabins, cottages, and yurts for our non-camping family to tag along! Staff was very friendly.

This is a great campground South of Gaylord on Otsego Lake. I believe all sites have electric. The park is beautiful with a many sites having lake views. The playground is the classic old playground with swings and slides and some big tires to climb on. The water was mostly sand with some rocks. The campground has 4 cabins to rent right on the lake.

This campground feels like campgrounds should! It is a small, family-run place. The sites are a little small and close together, and with fewer trees than I prefer. But everything else about it makes it on my list to return annually! Location is close to so many great towns and attractions: Glen Arbor/Sleeping Bear Dunes, many Lake Michigan beaches, kayaking/canoeing/tubing river trips, great fishing if that's your thing. The camp store and little outdoor cafe are great and serve a delicious breakfast. Bathrooms were clean and had great ventilation (important when camping during a pandemic like this summer). They have several cute cabins and vintage campers sprinkled among the campsites that are available for rent, and a nice bike path runs right in front of the campground. The campground is very family-friendly.

I hate camping, but this campground I’ll go to. Water and electric hook up at all the sites, cabins available, their own little lake and boat launch, there’s Kid’s EVERYWHERE! 🥰 Its absolutely perfect for the entire camping spectrum. Nice clean bathrooms, a nice little store and restaurant right there and another little store right on the main road. First fish caught by my son at this campsite and we WILL BE BACK!